


were you only imaginary?

by angelica_barnes



Series: Insanity [5]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Love, M/M, Mental Instability, insane zayn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-29 17:34:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14477754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelica_barnes/pseuds/angelica_barnes
Summary: zayn and liam come to live in your house. zayn can see you. liam can't.you never get to keep your friends, in the end.





	were you only imaginary?

**Author's Note:**

> title taken from "Faded" by Alan Walker

Zayn meets you when he’s hiccuping and crying on the floor of his basement. All he did was trip, really, but he hit his head on the banister and you saw the chance for a new friend, so you kneeled beside him and brushed his messy hair back.

“Who are you?” He asks, and you’re shocked; nobody’s ever been able to see you. Hell, you’ve never been able to touch someone.

“I don’t know,” you answer softly, and then the tired-eyed boy comes running and scoops Zayn up in his arms, leaving you alone.

You’re curious.

 

 

-

 

You close your eyes to rest them, only for a moment, because the waking sun is blinding. You’ve never done well in the light; you always preferred the dark corners in the cellar, when you could see the people and they would never find you.

When you open them, you’re standing on blank white, nothing above or around or below you, and the wind whips your hair as if you’re falling. Zayn is there, staring at you with wide eyes, dark eyes.

“Liam says you weren’t there,” Zayn whispers, and he reaches out to touch you. “I believe him but you’re  _ right here _ .”

You only nod.

 

 

-

 

Liam looks worried. That’s all you can think about, is his scared eyes, parted lips, as Zayn grasps his hand and points to where you stand in the corner. You wave, just to be polite, though you’re nervous, but Liam gives no response.

Instead, he looks down at a starstruck Zayn, concern painted all over his canvas of features.

“No one’s there,” he rasps. “No one’s there, Zayn, what’s happened to you?”

Zayn says nothing, but he looks up at Liam, eyes pooling with tears. “Are you afraid of me?” He asks in a whisper. “Are you afraid?”

Liam shakes his head, and you can see the fear in his eyes, but your lips are sealed. You settle for watching as Liam leans down and kisses Zayn on the mouth gently; the raven-haired boy squeezes his eyes shut and Liam holds him tighter.

“I love you,” Liam mumbles, and Zayn must’ve heard, because he cries.

You’re the one who’s afraid.

 

 

-

 

You watch Zayn when he sleeps. He’s stiff some nights, relaxed others. He’s always curled in Liam’s arms, on the edge of the bed, almost too close to falling, and sometimes you hold his hand loosely in yours.

Liam is awake, always tired, always scared, and you brush your fingers against his cheek just to see if he can feel you.

He shivers, and you’re cold. Freezing, actually, like the icy blue of your eyes.

“If you’re there,” Liam whispers. “Whoever you are that Zayn talks to, please…”

He sounds so afraid, so broken, and for once you wonder if Zayn’s the only one in danger.

“Leave him alone. Or help him, or do  _ something _ , just make him better.”

You press a kiss to Liam’s forehead and whisper, “I’ll try.”

You know you won’t though, because you know you can do nothing.

 

 

-

 

Zayn stands in the midst of suitcases, leather and brown and black and metal zippers, and he stares at you with sad eyes. You stare right back, even when Liam comes in and wraps an arm around Zayn’s waist, eyes focused on exactly where you’re supposed to be, where you are.

“I wanted to say goodbye to her,” Zayn murmurs, and Liam kisses his temple. “I never even learned her name, Liam.”

Liam sighs softly and buries his nose in Zayn’s hair, breathing in. “Say it then, ask her.”

But Zayn doesn’t, he just smiles.

“I never needed to know, Li.”

The light returns to his eyes, bright and clear, as Liam pulls back to look at him. The taller man picks Zayn up by the waist and kisses him on the lips, smiling as Zayn laughs into his mouth and throws his arms around Liam’s neck; they leave the door open when they drive away.

You’re happy for them and you’re sad for yourself, but none of that matters anymore as they fade away; “I’m Empty,” you say quietly, and somehow you know. “That’s my name.”

You wave to Zayn one last time, and he doesn’t wave back.

 

 

-

 

Loneliness chases you around the house in the dark, and you wait.

One day the door opens and Taylor stumbles in.


End file.
